Cellphone Use Changes the Brain, Say Scientists

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Cellphone Use Changes the Brain, Say Scientists

Even as the debate over whether radiation from cellphones pose health risks or not rages on , some scientists say that cellphone use does have a biological effect on the brain.

Researchers at Sweden's Örebro University found that cellphone use increases the amount of a protein called transthyretin, which is part of the ceberospinal fluid that cushions and protects the brain. But the researchers did not comment if the change is good or bad for the brain, reports Live Science.

The effect of cellphone radiation on users has become an important issue for scientists, environmental organizations and cellphone industry groups. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission sets the acceptable radiation standards for cellphones. As part of the device certification process, all handset makers have to offer a certificate from an independent lab that show how the device rates.

Still, current radiation testing methods may not be accurate, says advocacy organization, the Environmental Working Group. In a September report on cellphone radiation,the group says current head models used for testing the radiation absorbed are designed to simulate a large person’s head.

Children have much thinner skull bones and their brains have a lot more fluid, so their brain tissues would likely absorb twice more radiation compared to an adult’s brain. But cellphone radiation standards set by the government remains the same for both groups.

The Swedish study found that children and teenagers who were heavy cell phone users were indeed more likely to report health problems. These included headaches and impaired concentration.

Some companies such as Pong Research are trying to offer phone cases that can cut down the emitted radiation from phones and direct it away from the brain. But without consensus that cellphone radiation does pose a risk to users, there's no scientific blessing to the idea.